-Chapter V- GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Education - County School System
The Murray County School System has "come a long way" since the pre-Civil War era when a Grand Jury recommended "school districts for the county for not less than 25 or more than 100 children age 8-18 to attend at least three months a year." Today the Murray County Board of Education operates a fully accredited system with four elementary schools (grades K-6), one junior high (grades 7-8), and one high school (grades 9-12). All teachers hold at least a 4-year college professional certificate and an increasing number have advanced degrees. Current enrollment is approximately 5,000.
During the 1870's, Georgia's public school system was established and by the 1880's Murray County was following state guidelines to a degree. Rev. S.H. Henry was the first county school superintendent and his personal records of these early days provide much of the existing information about this era.
In 1880 the county board, then appointed by the Grand Jury, operated more than 30 schools. Due to poor transportation every community had its own little one- or two-room school. Since the meager funds which were available had to be distributed among so many facilities, most of the schools were poorly equipped. Therefore, local trustees were elected or appointed in each school district to provide extra leadership, more supervision, and added community support. Often these trustees would set work days to improve the school, offer lodging to teachers, attend special programs at the school, and even provide wood for the school's heater. Most of Murray's children were expected to help with the farm work at home so attendance during the already brief school terms was not always good. Generally held during the winter when farming tasks slacked, school was often hampered by bad weather. Teachers were rarely even high school graduates during the early days but were "county licensed" when they passed a test. Trustees usually sought the teacher they wanted for their school and requested approval by the county board. Unfortunately "dirty politics" sometimes got involved and teachers rarely knew where they would be assigned from year to year or if they would have a job at all. Therefore, many educators taught at a variety of schools across the county during their careers. This structure existed through the 19SO's.
For the year 1896 the entire Murray County school budget was $5,781.03. From this amount the superintendent was paid a salary of $304 while the salaries for members of the board of education were $190. Only $120 was "expended in the purchase of school supplies and buildings" and $42.05 was spent on "postage, printing, and other incidentals." The remaining $5,124.98 was divided among the 50-plus teachers for the year. In other statistics for 1896 Murray County had the following: 2 "private" high schools; 2 "private" elementary schools; 1 school library valued at $60; 72 ½ ¢ average monthly cost per Pupil; 1,149 average daily attendance (1,014 white, 135 black); 100 full school days; 10 buildings which belonged to the county valued at $5,450; 30 buildings "not belonging to the board" valued at $400; 1,893 students enrolled (1,740 white, 153 black).
As the years passed, things improved-slowly. Some schools remained "local subscription" meaning that the residents raised the funds while others were "county schools" and received some state funds. The following excerpts of the existing minutes of county board meetings reveal the growth:
1916-17 - Term is 3'/2 months, Teacher's salaries range from $24 to $40 monthly. Schools with average daily attendance of 20 earn one teacher, of 55 earn two, and of 80 earn three teachers.
1918 - Salaries remain the same for four month schools.
1918-19 - Salaries $28 to $40 monthly.
May 25, 1918 - Board agrees to pay "½ of salary, provided it does not exceed $200, for hiring an agent for domestic economics." Scholastic population is 3,071.
Nov. 6, 19 IB - Schools to run 3 months in winter and two in summer.
May 6, 1919 - 'The Board instructed the Superintendent to contact U.S. and English authorities of their desire to change to metric system . .."
Oct. 20, 1919 - Lula Gladden hired as "county organizer for adult illiterates" for three months. Salary is $150.
Nov. 4, 1919 - P.H. Bond elected county "attendance officer." Lucy Hill Institute selected to become a 4-year high school
1919 - Salaries $35 to $60 per month..
Dec. 7, 1920 - T.P. Ramsey "truant officer"
June 7. 1921 - Board requests a 3-rnill tax for education.
Oct. 4. 1921 - Horace Dodd, trustee of Chatsworth replaced "because he absconded as a result of being accused of embezzling from the Bank of Chatsworth." 1922 Problems regarding proposed consolidation of Fashion and Sumach School Districts as well as financing new school at Sumach. "Light must come from the East before the Board will pay anything."
July 31, 1922 - Teacher institute held at Eton until date for teacher examination on August 8.
Aug. 15, 1922 - "A physics laboratory to be equipped at Eton High at a cost of $150.
Jan- 2, 1923 Truant officer M.W. Shields requested that teachers who fail to report student absences would forfeit 5% of their salaries.
Feb, 6, 1923 - Above action rescinded and teachers were asked to instead report on the truant officer!
April 3, 1923 - Board insures all school buildings for $1,050 against fires and cyclones.
July 3, 1923 - New rule: "Every teacher shall read a chapter in Bible and have prayer every day during school."
Nov. 6, 1923 - W.S. Stroud elected truant officer.
Jan 1- 1924 - Notice to be published in local paper: "the license of any teacher teaching in Murray County will be revoked if he or she attends a dance, whether they dance or not."
1925 - Fred I. Davidson succeeds Dr. T.W, Colvard as school superintendent.
May 5, 1925 --4 mill tax.
July 7, 1925 - Principal's salaries $60 per month, salary of $57.50 for 1-teacher schools down to $38 for lowest certificate. Average attendance of 15 required. Local tax schools can run nine months, others only seven.
April 6. 1916 - County tax - 5 mills. Cohutta Banking Co. designated as depository of all school funds.
Feb. 1, 1927 - Telephone to be installed in office for superintendent and board.
1927-28 - Borrowing money "wherever it can be found" to pay teachers and insurance premiums,
1928 - 2,838 children of school age in Murray, Eton was the largest district with 385; Rock Creek the smallest with 8.
Jan, 31, 1929 - the board does not supply free textbooks for students.
Nov. 5, 1929 - Teachers who attend GEA meeting in Cartersville have "a holiday."
Apr. 4, 1930 - Trustees from various schools called in "to decide when their schools would close because of lack of funds."
Sept, 2, 1930 - Trustees can no longer make contracts with teachers, only the county board according to State Department of Education. January 1931 - "Mass meeting of Board members, trustees, and teachers to arouse better interest in attendance."
Feb. 3, 193] - E.P. Adams appointed temporary attendance officer.
Mar. 3, 1931 - Board turns down opportunity for Home Demonstration Agent due to lack of funds.
Oct. 6, 1931 - Resolution passed that all schools build sanitary toilets.
Nov. 3, 1931 _ No Board member will receive his full per diem payment unless he stays for entire meeting. Rules for teachers (added to contract): Said teacher agrees further: To perform at least six hours service in the school room each day, to attend the monthly teachers' meeting, or any special teachers' meetings when called upon to do so, either by letter or published announcement, or to render a satisfactory excuse for not so doing, to be firm in government, but not cruel to pupils, to supervise play grounds, or, if assistant, to aid in supervising play grounds and the conduct of children under their care, to require good order, to keep school room in neat order, to fasten doors and windows each day after school, and to give thorough instructions in the public school branches of study.
Said teacher further agrees to refrain from joy riding, attending picture theaters, or other places of public amusement at night. Dancing is barred by the school board, also social engagements throughout the school week.
The school laws of Georgia require that a chapter from the Bible be read by the teacher each day to the school children.
In schools of more than one teacher assistants are to exercise their hearty cooperation with principals and school officials for the best interests of school work.
Where the above conditions are not complied with in the public schools of Murray County the Board of Education and County Superintendent will exercise their judgement in withholding salaries, or suspending teachers for not conforming thereto. All teachers must have their licenses recorded in the County Superintendents' office.
March 1, 1932 - Marble Hill denied transportation due to "bad roads, unsafe for hauling children."
April 1, 1932 - First year in history of county that all schools had operated seven months. "Gratitude expressed that not a single teacher nor trustee had expressed dissatisfaction as to the payment or delay of payment during the year."
July S, 1932 - Lee Cox employed as attendance officer.
August 12, 1932 - Mr. Cox reports 1200 pupils in (summer) school. He has raised 141,50 to buy books for needy children. "Each Board member voted his per diem payment for this meeting to the above cause." Also, a county nurse to be hired "under pretext of a half-time health teacher,"
Dec. 6, 1932 - Average daily attendance 2,006, An increase from the previous year's 1,760.
January 3, 1933 - Retiring superintendent S.L, Jackson delivered official papers to his successor Earl Foster, then one of the youngest superintendents in Georgia.
February 1933 - 2,521 pupils enrolled.
July 3, 1933 - Lee Cox to be paid S3 for each day he works as attendance officer.
September 5, 1934 - Board approved a $32,396.04 budget based on a 5 mill county tax for schools. Levies in local tax districts ranged from one mill at Oak Grove to five mills in Eton, Spring Place, and Chatsworth. Others with the extra school tax were Colvards, Franklin, Sumach, Union Grove, Hooker's, Cisco, Oakland, and Ramhurst.
Oct. 3, 1933 - Board voted to join the Georgia Education Association 100%.
Nov. 7, 1933 - Board voted to designate Spring Place as the county high school. This school to receive the $1,000 State Aid, Also, the following schools to receive $500 State Aid for consolidated elementary schools: Chatsworth, Eton, Franklin, Spring Place, and Union Grove.
Dec. 1, 1933 - Called meeting of Board voted to accept offer of Chatsworth Clay Manufacturing Company for the free use of its facilities to make brick to repair thirty-six school buildings provided the Civil Works Administration would provide funds to hire labor to renovate these buildings. All members were present and voted unanimously for this resolution.
April 3, 1934 - NEW RESOLUTIONS: "No teacher shall be replaced ... by a teacher of lesser qualifications in terms of teacher training and experience. Teachers in service shall be given preference over teachers out of service; residents and taxpayers shall have preference over non-residents and non-taxpayers.
April 16, 1934 - The Board authorized Superintendent Earl Foster and Chairman M.D. Jefferson "to receive grants and gifts and 10 make and execute all contracts necessary for erection of county high school building." Foster and Jefferson were also authorized to make "bus driving contracts." Several schools consolidated.
June, 1934 - Salary Schedule Approved: Board voted to elect one teacher for each 30 pupils in average attendance or major fraction thereof with the following salary:
College Certificate Teacher $60,00 per month
Principal $65.00 per month
Normal or Junior College Certificate Teacher $50.00
Teacher three years experience $55.00
Principal three years experience $60.00
General Elementary Certificate Teacher $45.00
Teacher three years experience $50.00
Principal three years experience $55.00
County license teacher $40-00
Principal $45.00
Supply teachers $40.00
Board voted that should the attendance run in excess of the teacher a supply teacher would be elected for such time as the attendance was temporarily in excess.
1935 - School enrollment is 2,750
March 5, 1935 - The General Assembly "diverted funds from the State Highway Board for payment of past due teacher and bus driver salaries. Those who received back payment were Mr. & Mrs. W.F. Huffaker, Mr. & Mrs. R.D. Carter, Sarah Lee Leonard, A.N. Sanders, Allen and Charles Pannell, Willie Mae Pritchett, Annie Ross, Thelma Cox, Agnes Kemp, and Berniia Harris.
June 4, 1935 - Board authorized Superintendent and Chairman to borrow money from V.C. Pickering to meet May's payroll "if needed."
Nov. 1. 1935 - Board voted to buy diphtheria serum for the vaccination of students. Also November 29 was declared "a school holiday in honor of the homecoming of the President.
March 3, 1936 - Board still borrowing money to meet payroll.
October 6, 1936 - Teachers to have holiday on October 26 to attend GEA meeting in Calhoun,
1937 - S.L. Jackson returns as superintendent.
June 2, 1937 - Board voted to pay Superintendent $115 per month and the clerk $25 from the general fund.
May 3, 1938 - The Board agreed to pay the bus drivers for holidays provided they haul children free during commencement. The Board also requested all teachers to attend Church and Sunday School, "Teachers who hold low grade certificates and licenses are expected to use their utmost efforts to raise them."
September 19, 1938 - Proposed budget for 1938-39 was $62,671.58.
1938 - Jack Greeson named school superintendent to fill the unexpiied term of S.L. Jackson who died in office.
April, 1939 - State supervisor recommended further consolidation of county schools.
March, 1941 - Eight month term for all county schools.
December 1, 1942 - Bus drivers received a 1¢ per mile raise.
March 1, 1943 - A letter to V.C. Pickering is included in the minutes:
Dear Mr. Pickering:
The Murray County Board of Education wishes to take this means of expressing their appreciation for your generous gift of the "Davis Farm" to the high school. Our aim is to develop the farm so that it may be used as a practice farm for the Agriculture students. Thanking you again for your kindness and generosity.
Yours very truly,
Murray County Board of Education
By: Mrs, Jack Grceson,Secretary
March 10, 1943 - "After discussion, it was decided to run the county schools on Saturday in order to close by May 8 so the children could help with the crops."
December 5, 1944 - Ray Bagley, the newly elected superintendent, will continue to serve as principal of the high school also. "The request for his deferment from military service was signed by the Board members and filed with the Selective Service Board."
Nov. 6, 1945 - The Board agreed to donate land belonging to the high school as the site for a hospital "provided it was constructed as far away as the old Davis Home and provided that if the hospital should close, the building and ground would go back to the Board." (Almost 30 years later a hospital was built near this spot.) Also, transportation for four black children to Dalton High School cost 30¢ per day for each child.
July 12, 1946 - Board agreed to assist in the opening of a lunchroom in basement of high school.
Sept. 2, 1946 - Seward Hix asked to be visiting teacher.
Jan. 7, 1947 - Under the new State constitution local school trustee would be appointed by the County Board rather than be elected by the residents.
December 2, 1947 - "Motion made, and seconded, and passed for County schools to go into 12th-grade program at the beginning of the 1948-49 term."
1949 - George Ross - visiting teacher
Aug. 2, 1949 - L.N. Foster employed as instructional supervisor for county schools.
1950 - Jathan Gregory visiting teacher.
1950's - continued consolidation of elementary schools.
March 3, 1953 - Employed Miss Christine Bowen for 1953-54 term "to divide her time equally between all county teachers"- instructional or curriculum supervisor. (Re-employed 1954-56).
April, 1953 - The meeting made the Dalton news (4-12-53) as follows:
POLITICAL STEW OVER SCHOOL POSITIONS BEGINS TO SIMMER The perennial political stew over school appointments began to simmer this week in Murray County and a boiling point is expected to be reached, as usual, by May 5 when most school positions will be filled.
The County board this week filled vacancies, re-appointed members and named new members for local boards who serve in an advisory capacity. At May meeting these boards will recommend persons for teachers and administrators in their respective communities.
Local trustees were renamed for most communities, bul the biggesl shakeup came when three new men were named to the Eton local board replacing three men who had not resigned. J.P. Loughridge, Herbert Childers and Hubert Williams were named to succeed T.L. Gregory, Grover Bates, and Carl Loughridge. The other two members of this board, C.D. Harris andToliver Richardson were retained.
Just what significance this change will make in the school administration at Eton remains to be seen at the May meeting.
Other changes made, but without the degree of controversy accompanying the Eton action, included:
- Harold Wilson appointed to succeed C.L. Hillard who resigned from the Tennga board of trustees.
- Two new members added to the board at Ramhurst to make five. They were Mrs. Bill Dunston and George Reed.
- Bob Holcomb named trustee at Spring Place to replace Paul Smith who was named a member of the county board by the last Grand Jury.
- At Hookers, Ed Ridley and John Fox added to the board to making a three-man board.
- Bob Causby and Ernest Brindle were appointed Trustees for Casey Springs.
Only position filled in the Murray County schools at the meeting this week was the reappointment of L.N. Foster as principal of the Chatsworth Grammer School.
Members of the county board besides Smith, are Ed Hemphill, chairman; F,P. Bond, George Holmes and Henry Gallman.
Superintendent of Murray County Schools is Ray Bagley who was elected for a four-year term in the county-wide general election last November.
Nov. 14, 1953 - Col. Wright Mitchell employed "to look after the legal interest of the County Board."
1954 - Con solid at ion of schools to form Northwest and Southwest Elementary schools approved. New buildings constructed by Leonard and Ingle who were also working on additions at Spring Place, Eton, Chatsworth, and the high school.
Dec. 1956 - "The Board agreed to advertise and sell to highest bidder ... the old courthouse at Spring Place." It sold in January for $525. Ruby Fallis hired as instructional supervisor,
1957 - Disposal of abandoned school buildings discussed.
February, 1958 - The superintendent was authorized to sign a petition to the City, requesting the City to extend the Chatsworth limits to include all the High School property.
March, 1958 - Charles Poag hired as visiting teacher.
August, 1958 - Jimmy Witherow hired as visiting teacher.
March, 1959 - Bernard Peeples elected visiting teacher.
March, 1964 - The Board was informed that, effective "next year" no separate allotment of white and black teachers would be made by the state.
1964 - Seward Hix - visiting teacher,
1965 - Sara Bob Hix became curriculum director.
May 4, 1965 - Resolution adopted "Any pupil, regardless of race or color shall be eligible to attend the school of his or her choice in ... Murray County . .. effective . . . September, 1965 ... the Negro schools . . . close at the end of the present term and the children be included without distinction with all other students . . ."
September, 1965 - Mr. Bagley (now principal) reported that no problems had been encountered in the integration of the high school. C.W. Bradley begins a four-year term as superintendent.
June, 1966 - First mention of consolidating Ramhurst, Southwest, and Spring Place in a new school at Spring Place along with the building of a junior high for grades 7, 8, and 9- Currently all elementary schools house grades 1-8.
June 25, 1968 - Bond referendum which allowed the construction of the two new schools passed!
1969 - Jimmy Witherow takes office as superintendent.
May 4, 1969 - Board voted to close Ramhurst and Southwest.
Fall, 1969 - Construction of new Spring Place Elementary and Murray Junior High is completed.
Oct., 1970 - School enrollment 3,372. Offices move to Chestnut Street from courthouse.
1972 - In August primaries Doug Griffin defeated Superintendent Jimmy Witherow who resigned on August 31. The Board appointed Griffin to complete the unexpired term.
1974 - B.V. Ozment is assistant superintendent, Jim Davis Director of Transportation and Maintenance, Jerry Davis Homebound Teacher, and Carolyn Anderson Reading Coordinator.
1975 - Vocational wing added to High School. M.D. Jackson, vocational director.
1976 - Enrollment in county reaches 4,129.
1977 - Lamar Adams - Director of Maintenance and Transportation; James Turner - Visiting Teacher; Rick Warren - Homebound Teacher.
September 12, 1977 - Board votes to establish a scholarship fund with a bequest from the estates of Fred L. and Minnie B. Dunn.
1977 -G.W. (Dee) Stafford and his brother, L.C. (Bud) complete 30 and 26 years of service as county bus drivers.
1978 - A Hall of Recognition is established at the Central Office by the Murray County Retired Teachers.
1982 - Talk of redistricting the county results in a change in election procedures. Board members must reside in their districts but are now voted on county-wide. Redistricting is dropped.
1985 - Lamar "Pete" Adams succeeds Doug Griffin as superintendent,
Murray County Heritage